I recently bought a 2014 BMW i3, which I love. What I don’t love is that it only came with a single key, which may seem like a minor problem until you realize: A replacement key costs as much as a car. Here’s how much more a new key for my i3 costs than a new one for my 1994 Jeep.
This is my first time looking for a replacement key for a modern vehicle with a key fob, and I have to say: I’m appalled. Ever since I could drive, I’ve only ever purchased cars with basic keys like this one in my 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Have a look:
This is about as simple a key as one can ask for. There’s no fob, no chip — just a metal key that needs to be cut just right to actuate the tumblers in the doors and ignition switch.
My 2014 BMW i3, though, comes with this key fob, which has within it an old-school key that’s there just to be used in case of an emergency:
I recently stopped by Ace Hardware to get a new key for my 1994 Jeep, and as you can see, it was dirt cheap:
Only 5.99! Even that is a bit more than I used to pay, but I’ll take it. Meanwhile, the quote I got from BMW for a new i3 key? Oh boy:
FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX DOLLARS AND EIGHTY-THREE CENTS! Sorry for all the caps, but that’s over $570 more to replace my i3 key than to replace the key for my Jeep, which I bought for less than $500. And sure, I get that the i3 key is more complex, but their functions — and what they represent to their owners — are the same. The key lets you in the car and lets you start the car. It is a critical function, and therefore having to replace it should be affordable.
It’s not just me saying it. The Center for Auto Safety agrees, as you can see in this story from about 20 years ago:
Technology was supposed to set us free, but in the car industry it’s locking us out of our vehicles. And as many more car keys contain electronic chips and come equipped with computerized anti-theft ignition systems, this problem looks set to worsen, experts say.
The days of visiting a hardware store for an extra car key are quickly vanishing, and consumers and advocacy groups say the time needed to replace missing or lost electronic keys is inordinately long and expensive and drivers may have no recourse when dealerships are not open. Getting a new electronic key can cost hundreds of dollars, including the cost of towing a car.
Unlike an old-fashioned mechanical key, which unlocks a door or starts an ignition with its teeth, an electronic car key works by sending a code that must be read electronically before a vehicle’s engine will start. The technology for these keys is evolving rapidly and only a few locksmiths are investing in the technology needed to replace them, meaning most drivers who lose their keys are forced to visit a dealership for a replacement.
The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group founded by the Consumers Union and Ralph Nader, recently petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to investigate auto companies for not releasing the codes needed to duplicate keys and for charging high fees for replacement key and for reprogramming car computers with new codes.
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So this isn’t anything new. It’s just that prices have gotten out of hand. Look at this person on Reddit who recently replaced their i3 fob:
I got a second fob for mine recently and the key and setup at the dealership was 750$.
$750 for a key fob; unreal.
For what it’s worth, there are a few success stories floating out there of folks having local locksmiths come out and program keys for $300, but it looks like many of those had to use a different key than the one the i3 came with from the factory, and it seems people’s success rates on that vary.
Anyway, this is just me yelling at a cloud. I’ll be buying an Apple AirTag so I can make do with this single fob. No way am I spending over $550.
Image: eBay seller; DepositPhotos.com
This is why when you sell a car to a company like Carvana, etc, they always ask if you have both sets of keys. If a used car doesn’t come with 2 keys, it can be a deal breaker. I remember when a key broke on my 96 Impala SS I had back in the day with the primitive chip, the replacement was like $275! I crapped myself. I needed the key, though.
I only have 1 smart key for my Mazda3 because it only came with 1 key (used) and I refuse to pay what they want for another. Fuck that. I’ll take it off my keychain if I need to go somewhere without my car and want my wife to be able to move it if she needs to.
When I bought my used Polestar one of the upsell items at signing was “key insurance”. Which of course covers any keys I lose or damage but the car also comes with a smaller, waterproof, “Action Key” which has a non-replaceable battery which only lasts a few years. So Volvo/Polestar made an unnecessary problem then tried to sell me a solution for it.
Needless to say if that battery dies I’ll be prying that action fob open and replacing the battery.
Yep, I’ve reviewed the process for the action key and it doesn’t seem too bad when the battery inevitably dies. A little bit of heat shrink and I’m reasonably confident it’ll even be waterproof, although not entirely sure how to test that.
Same with “wheel and tire” insurance products. Maybe if the family truckster wasn’t equipped with 22″ wheels and rubber band tires, it wouldn’t need insurance for when you go over a pot hole.
Independent guys around here do keys for under $200.
I still haven’t made the investment for my outback that I’ve only had a single key for since 2014.
At least BMW went back to powering their fobs with a basic CR2032 cell you can get at a gas station. My E39’s keys had a rechargeable battery sealed in the plastic housing.
Yay, it tops up every time you run the car! Boo, it dies long before the car does and then you have to either pay the dealer crazy money or pursue alternative methods that involve razor saws, batteries from eBay, soldering skills and epoxy.
I guess when I bought my last car from a dealer they did me a solid. The person who’d traded it in only supplied one key, and the salesperson, unprompted, made it clear they “owed me a key” but for reasons I don’t understand the dealer couldn’t do it themselves? So they had a mobile vehicular locksmith come and do it and hand delivered me the second key a day later. They did not charge me for it.
I’ve used these guys for hard to find keys where they Chinese haven’t cloned them. It looks like as little as $35
https://www.americankeysupply.com/search-vehicle-product/7739
Ive used these guys to get Chinese clones fast for pretty cheap
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285305870092
Just need a programmer or someone with a programmer and someone who can mill the emergency key. It’s old enough most of the older cheap autel tools will do it as well most older xtool, xhorse, keydiy. Might even be able to do it with a J2534 passthrough cable and someones software or app.
I bet there is a guy in a van on marketplace that has a Chinese key the software and a way to cut the key that will do it for $100. There always is.
This is why if you buy from a dealer you should NEVER agree to a car with only one key. It’s all profit. Most dealers will happily add a key to complete a sale.
Not many i3’s sitting on dealer lots.
They were thrilled to get rid of them the first time.
I got a knock-off Nissan Rogue key off Amazon for $70 and my local locksmith charged $50 to program. Has worked perfectly for the past 3 years….
I’ve got a tip for all you Autotopians: If you have a modern vehicle and it you’re still ibn possession of both key FOBs, look into getting an extra 3rd NOW before you loose one. This may not work on all brands and models, but on the last few modern cars we purchased, IF you have both working key fobs, you can pick up a low cost (ebay? Amazon) knock off unprogrammed key fob for pennies on the dollar compared to a dealer, and following the magic steps (open arm rest, remove bottom mat, place both keys on exposed key shelf, hit start/stop 5 times, swing the phone over your head and cluck like a chicken…) and you’ll be able to program your own extra 3rd key fob. The 3rd key fob stays at home but it’s there if I need it AND if I do loose one, I’ll still have 2 so I can rinse and repeat.
IF you only have ONE working key fob, then it’s off to the dealer for a 2nd one for most vehicles where you’ll get bent over and they won’t even buy you dinner.
A few years back I walked away from a used car I wanted to buy, on principle. The dealer said they had the 2 key fob, but actually only had one. I said, no big deal, you’re a dealer, just knock out a new one for me. They wanted an extra $500 so I told them to kiss my ass and drove away.
We just read about how ridiculously expensive key fobs are. Why would you buy a knockoff key from god only knows where? Why in god’s name would I voluntarily spend that kind of money on a OE key when I don’t need it?
You’re missing the point… a 3rd key fob can be had and programmed dirt cheap like $30 cheap and you might be able to,program it yourself. , if you only have 1 then a 2nd key fob is a dealer call. And it’s hundreds of dollars. I don’t mind having an extra key fob as cheap insurance if/when I loose one.
Really depends on the car. I know of several newer cars where you have use capable J2534 software / programmer with all the keys you have. Some aren’t all different from an all keys lost procedure. Not all the scanners have immo or security stuff. Then stellantis star tech stuff can be absolute hell it always want to call home. Generally there is a guy in a van on marketplace that can do it cheap in most meto areas. Small town locksmiths sometimes aren’t so bad especially if you bring the Chinese fob to program. Xtool products seem to be the standard most of the locksmiths and guys in vans use.
This is the way. If you have two and your vehicle can self program, get the third one now.
I’ve done this with recent model Fords and Chevys and really appreciate having this capability. Maybe other makes do it too, but those are the ones I’ve done personally. Even using OEM key fobs, it can be done for < $100.
I have never heard of being able to program a key yourself. Can you explain a bit more?
These websites are pretty decent to find out if there is a programming procedure for a specific model. Or if you need a immo tool. Ford is pretty good about it on trucks. Everyone else not great. I think the Trax might be the only other vehicle in the US that still has the ability.
https://keyless2go.com/pages/remote-programming-instructions
https://www.keylessentryremotefob.com/programming-instructions/#programming-lookup-tool
Thanks!
I remember back in the day my parents being appaled to spend $250 for a replacement key for their 98 BMW e38, that was about 2006 timeframe. Now in 2025 they needed a key for an 01 e38 and spent about $500, still they were appalled by the price.
Replacement push-button flip-out ignition keys for the 2nd-gen Trax can be had for less than $75 as well.
Our Trax came with two keys. When we travel, we bring both keys. One stays in the wife’s purse and the other in my pocket.
We would have no idea how to use an Apple Air-Tag.
“We would have no idea how to use an Apple Air-Tag.”
Buy AirTag. (Or superior 3rd party tracker)
Open “find my” app
Click “Items”
Click “+” to add a tracker
Follow the simple directions.
When you are done you can see the location of that AirTag or tracker as longer as there are other phones in the area. Some allow the opposite and you can push the button on the tracker and find your phone too. We use them to track our bags when we travel and we also have one in our parent’s cars (with their permission) because they are all getting up there in age and two are having memory issues but won’t stop driving.
There are also versions for Android phones and most 3rd party trackers work on either network but not both at the same time.
I personally like UGREEN trackers. 4 for $30 on Amazon and they charge using a USB-C instead of a proprietary cord. AirTags use a coin battery.
We have Windows laptops and no cell-phones so we cannot “find my” any apps.
Wild. I’ve heard of people that do not have a cell phone but don’t personally know any.
Does anyone here want an ignition key to my Velorex 435? They’re readily available. It’s the same key for all of them, as well as for all of the Velorex three-wheelers, many models of Jawa motorcycle, and several varieties of Czechoslovakian agricultural equipment from that era:
https://cdn.aukro.cz/images/sk1680619530553/2x-klicek-do-zapalovani-pal-156969280.jpeg
Anyway, my unsolicited advice is to get a spare key. Having the option of learning the location of your current key via AirTag won’t always be enough to solve certain types of problems.
Buy a used one from a junkyard or eBay. It can still be programmed to a different car. Some cars you can even get Chinese knock off keys.
Just in case, find out how much it would cost to make a new key IF you don’t have your current key. Some of them cost even more money when they need a new immobilizer and the ancillary parts.
You can buy a used one and if you have the right software program it yourself. If not do you have a Costco membership? They have Car Keys Express set up in the parking lot. Even if you buy a used fob they likely have new emergency keys that they will cut for you. I did that for my Daughter’s car which only came with one and that particular car is one that I can’t program with ForScan with only one key. So I bought one from them along with a second emergency key, the programed a second key and cut both. Then I went home and added the 3rd key which you can do without a scan tool, if you have 2 programed keys present.
That is nucken futz as far as key-fob replacement costs go. I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered a new fob for my Volt from the local Chevy dealer. $75, although they didn’t have any success programming it. Luckily I had no issues doing it myself at home.
My daughter was worried about getting a second key for her ’87 Corvette as it had one of those old GM VATS security-resistors in it. She went to that same Chevy dealer and laughed as the oldest guy there was called to the parts department. He proceeded to pull out an ancient machine (I’m guessing the old key-grinder) which she said he literally blew the dust off of before getting to work.
Key was matched, new one made, and the total cost was $20 and change.
I had to bypass the resistor measuring circuit in my Oldsmobile with a couple resistors from Radio Shack as the contacts in the ignition barrel had worn out.
I miss Radio Shack
I thought it a bit curious that KBB asked me “Do You Have 2 or More Keys or Keyless Remotes?” in big bold letters when I was checking on my truck’s value the other day – now I know why.
Look on the bright side David. Now if you lock your keys in the car just break a window it will be cheaper
I have to admit that I do like keyless entry and am fairly happy (especially on a daily driver) not to go back to manual door locks. But the expense on these fobs has gotten ridiculous. I cannot believe that a bmw key packs enough hardware to justify a price on par with a new smartphone. When I had my cayenne one of the fobs I got with it turned out to be junk and sadly the other’s buttons were semi worn out and it was going to be pushing $400-$500 to get a new one from the dealer so I lived with it.
A friend recently bought a fob on ebay for his 2005 Tundra and reprogrammed it himself, not sure how feasible though this is with newer cars.
Well, my 2004 Volvo V70 has replacement keys that will run close to $500 if not more, though there are videos of people out there going full-MacGuyver and transferring the guts of an old key fob into a new shell (with a retracting key blade).
However, it’s one of those deals where you have to be careful not to pull the proverbial wrong wire, because if you do, then you’ll be known as “MacGruber!”
It sucks for new cars too, my Mazda 6e (EZ-6) in China didn’t come with a single physical key, dealer threw me a hotel key card and told me to use the phone app as a key…….
I bought a genuine remote key for 25USD, which was surprisingly reasonable. But then I had to fork out 70USD to an auto shop to do the coding! Apparently that’s what the dealer charges too, but in what world does that make sense? 100USD for a key isn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things, but spending almost three times more than the key itself just to pair it to the car…. boggles the mind
Yes, but the expensive key is full of features that can prevent the car from running AND exposes new ways for smart criminals to steal your car.
On the other hand, stupid criminals have to resort to getting a gun and stealing the car from you while you are driving it.
Win win!
Yes, it’s gotten ridulous, but we demand complex systems to stop thieves. Otherwise you get the Hyundai/Kia thing. We know it doesn’t cost $500 for the key, but they can charge it, so they do.
But cars remain a frequently stolen item. These advanced electronics are not showing any results at preventing theft.
Google tells me that car thefts are now at about 50% of what they were 20 years ago, so something has made a difference. I will agree though that 659K per year currently is a lot, and more than I expected. I read the google ai summary, so it’s up to you whether you consider it accurate.
Have you contacted one of those online locksmiths where they cut by VIN?
“BMW i3 2013-2020 key replacement and Programming service $169.99
The service is compatible with all BMW i3 versions in years 2013-2020 *
All keys lost service require :
Email us the proof or text us:
Car Registration, Title, or Proof of Insurance: at least one of the following documents
Valid Photo ID”
https://fixautosmart.com/product/bmw-i3-2013-2020-key-replacement/
I got a Volvo laser key cut from a photo, a guy on ebay in the UK 10 lbs
I had my Honda key cut by Ace hardware for about the same. It’s the immobilizer programming that gets ya.
I’ll have to remember this if I ever get a car that needs a Fob to start it or if I start locking my car. 20 years of ownership never locked it
Of course YMMV but in the case of my Honda it was a matter of buying a key blank, about $8/ea, having it “laser cut” against another key by ACE for about $30, then using a $70 OBD2 module from Amazon to get the chip to play nice with the immobilizer. On first use the module bonds itself to the car and can only be used with that car but then (according to the manual, I haven’t needed to test this) allows more keys to be synced up to three at a time. Then it’s a matter of programming the remote functions (free) and volia! A set of working keys for a lot less than the dealer!
(Also one of the original keys broke its casing from the weight of too many keys on the ring. I thought I’d need a whole new key but it turned out the blade and chip were easily transferable to the housing of one of those $8 blanks)
I ran into something similar with a dead ignition component in the old (2001) Benz I was about to buy. My mechanic at the time said it was a part that could only be programmed once, by a dealer, and none of that mattered anyway because that part was NLA. I noped out of the purchase until the seller called and said he’d found an independent shop that was able to install a new one, proprietary coding barriers be damned.
There’s a lot of gatekeeping around security systems, but the gates usually aren’t as tall as they’re made out to be.
People want to believe that locks and such do more than just keep honest people honest, but life finds a way. I once met with one of my building’s owners to go over potential improvements and he was hooked on the idea of installing a new, “more secure” RFID entry system because so many fobs had gone missing over the years. I said that was more a matter of getting management and/or a contractor to go into the system and revoke invalid permissions, and added that even with a new setup, people were going to figure out how to clone their fobs. “Do what now?” he asked. I then swung a slim card out of my key organizer and said “I haven’t used the fob you guys gave me in years. I had this thing cloned from it via a mail-order service and also got a chip to put in my phone case so I can get in if I don’t have my keys.” He was astounded to learn that the little electronic programmer the manager uses to set up fobs was something anyone could buy.
Yep.